1. Technical Field
This invention relates to leg rest assemblies for recliner chairs, and more particularly to a retro-fittable, controllably extendable leg rest apparatus for positioning a leg rest member of a recliner in retracted and extended positions.
2. Discussion
A leg rest provides significant added comfort when used in connection with recliners. One drawback, however, is that a fixed position leg rest does not accommodate individuals of varying heights particularly well. If the leg rest is fixedly positioned for a relatively short person, the same leg rest will not be optimally positioned for a relatively tall person. For the tall person, the leg rest may be uncomfortably positioned close to or behind the knees, rather than under the feet and calves, thus making the leg rest somewhat uncomfortable to use.
A solution to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,701, owned by the assignee of the present invention. In this patent an adjustable leg rest is disclosed which can be moved between first and second positions to thereby accommodate, more effectively and comfortably, individuals of widely varying heights.
While the leg rest assembly disclosed in the above-mentioned patent has proved to be a significant success in making recliners having protractable leg rests more comfortable for persons of widely varying heights, the retro-fitting of the leg rest assembly of that patent to a wide variety of recliners is not as readily and inexpensively accomplished as might be desired. Typically, when retro-fitting the leg rest of that patent to various recliners the pantograph or scissor linkage assembly of the recliner has to be removed entirely from the frame portion of the recliner, and an entirely new scissor linkage and leg rest assembly connected in its place. This somewhat complicates and renders significantly more expensive the process of retrofitting the leg rest assembly of that patent to various recliners, especially after a recliner has been sold and is located in a private residence.
As mentioned above, while the leg rest disclosed in the above patent has proven to have significant advantages, it would nevertheless be desirable to have an even more simplified and smoothly operating leg rest mechanism, which is even more readily retro-fitted to a wide variety of recliners.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a retro-fittable, extendable leg rest apparatus which may be quickly, conveniently, easily and inexpensively retrofitted to a wide variety of previously manufactured and sold recliners having protractable leg rest members.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a retro-fittable, extendable leg rest apparatus which may be retro-fitted to previously manufactured and sold recliners having protractable leg rest members without special tools, even by the individual owners of such recliners themselves.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a retro-fittable, extendable leg rest apparatus which includes an improved mechanism for extending an attached leg rest member into a fully extended position.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a retro-fittable, extendable leg rest apparatus which includes an improved latching member to positively lock the leg rest member in a forwardly extended position, and to prevent the leg rest member from being retracted until the scissor linkage assembly of the leg rest undergoes a distinct portion of the process of retracting the leg rest member.